Another Paige has been added to Bueckers’ fairytale, and it’s a special one. The Dallas superstar is officially an All-Star, and not just any All-Star, but a starter. A feat that many first-year athletes only dream of! But for Paige Bueckers, this always felt inevitable. After closing out her college career with a Hollywood-worthy finish and hearing her name called first in the 2025 WNBA Draft, it was clear that she was going to be one of the most hyped players in the league. Well, she lived up to her promise so far, and when she found out that she would be starting in the All-Star game in Indiana? Her reaction was pure gold.

Honestly, there’s truly no one more deserving of that All-Star starter spot than Paige Bueckers. Her 18.4 points per game rank her 11th in the league, while her 5.8 assists rank her 6th in the league. She is comfortably leading the rookie class this year while also holding her own against the league’s best. And the fans agree – the ranking tells so clearly. So, when the General Manager of the Dallas Wings called to share the big news, the moment was worth capturing!

“I am calling with some fantastic news, are you ready? Paige, I am happy to report and congratulate you that not only have you been named to the 2025 WNBA All-Star team, you have been named a starter in your rookie season.”

Well, the enthusiasm in his words was fully justified. Bueckers is now all ready to join a pretty exclusive club – she’s set to become just the 10th rookie and only the sixth No. 1 pick ever to start in a WNBA All-Star Game. Not bad for a first-year player who’s barely had time to pick a favorite postgame snack. She pulled in the sixth-most fan votes overall and ranked second among guards, trailing only Caitlin Clark. So, accordingly, she had a fan ranking of 2, media ranking of 5, and player ranking of 4- ultimately snagging the highest weighted score of 3.25 among guards.

“Wow… thanks, Curt. I appreciate it, thank you”, Paige said. Her response was short and sweet, but those raw emotions were pretty visible! Years of hard work, setbacks, and sacrifice had all led to this moment.

From entering college as a higher-rated prospect than Caitlin Clark, to losing her entire junior year to an ACL tear – Paige has gone through a lot. Without her perseverance and unshakable drive, it would have been practically impossible for her to make a return. But she did, and she returned stronger than ever, leading UConn to a championship.

For the Dallas Wings franchise, this is a milestone, too. Bueckers will be their first-ever rookie to start an All-Star Game. The only other rookies in franchise history to even make the roster were Cheryl Ford (back in the Detroit Shock days, 2003) and Liz Cambage (with the Tulsa Shock, 2011). So yeah, Paige is breaking new ground while digging up some long-buried roots. And interestingly, this also makes it three straight years that a rookie has snagged a starting spot: first Aliyah Boston, then Clark, and now Bueckers.

With the All-Star game right around the corner, fans will surely be wondering who Paige will be sharing the court with as a starter. So, let’s take a look!

All-Stars revealed: Who’s starting alongside Paige Bueckers?

It was already known that Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier were named captains for the upcoming All-Star game. But there were still eight starting spots up for grabs. One of them obviously went to Paige, so who are the rest? Let’s take a look!

Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson have both received their seventh All-Star selections and will once again be part of the starters! They will be joined by Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Aliyah Boston. But there’s one more name missing.

Nneka Ogwumike made history by earning her 10th All-Star nod. She, too, has joined elite company, matching Tamika Catchings and Brittney Griner – the third-highest total in league history. At the top of the list is Sue Bird with a record-setting 13 appearances, followed by Diana Taurasi with 11.

Sadly, though, Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago’s Angel Reese narrowly missed out on All-Star starter spots, finishing fifth and seventh in voting at their respective positions. Anyway, with the starters decided, the spotlight now turns to July 6th, when the remaining 12 reserves will be announced. It will certainly be interesting to see who the other 12 players will be. And once that is done, Collier and Clark will draft their rosters July 8 at 7 p.m. ET during “WNBA Countdown”.